1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to outdoor installations of mechanical equipment, and more particularly to a system for convenient, stable, inexpensive installations and inhibiting theft of such equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years, outdoor condensing units and heat pumps were set on level and durable xe2x80x9cpadsxe2x80x9d of poured concrete. Then pre-formed concrete pads were used. In recent years, there has been increasing use of pre-fabricated plastic pads which have been improved from time-to-time. They are placed directly on the ground at level construction sites, or on arrangements of chemically treated wood timbers where the site is sloping. With the passage of time and, depending on the soil at the location of the pad, settling may occur. Where settling does occur, often it is irregular, resulting in the condenser or heat pump assuming an awkward tilted position. In addition to the unsightly appearance, the settling often increases exposure of the unit to damage of the refrigerant lines and to the unit as a whole, by lawn care machines or other factors.
Another problem of a different nature which has become common in some areas, is theft of the condenser or heat pump unit. An air conditioning condenser unit usually comprises a base pan which is simply placed on the pad. The compressor and related condenser heat exchanger are permanently mounted to the base pan. The cover or housing is removably mounted to the base pan by several bolts readily accessible from the outside. In order to steal such a system, thieves need only to cut the electrical supply cables and the two refrigerant lines, lift the condenser onto a truck and drive away. In some areas, particularly in some new housing developments, theft of such units from a number of houses under construction, can occur during one night. One way to inhibit theft is to go back to the use of a poured concrete pad with threaded studs projecting vertically from the top of the pad. Then the base of the condenser assembly to be used has to be drilled in a pattern matching the stud pattern in the pad. Then the condenser assembly is placed over the stud array and lowered onto the pad, and then nuts are installed on the studs.
My invention addresses the foregoing settling, instability and security problems, with less installation time and labor.
Described briefly, according to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, a mounting pad of a strong material relatively immune to climatic conditions and much lighter in weight than concrete and most woods, is mounted on a plurality of stakes secured in the earth at the installation site. The stakes have fasteners thereon to fix the pad to the stakes and in a level attitude, regardless of ground contour. An air conditioning or heat pump condenser assembly, having a base portion, is positioned to cover the fasteners on the stakes to make the fasteners inaccessible once the condenser base is in place on the pad. Vibration isolators are disposed between the pad and the base. A portion of the pad, usually centrally located thereon, is provided with extra density to receive security screws installed from above by driving through the base of the condenser assembly and into the pad. The security screws are a thread cutting type so as to enable installation by the installer at a plurality of possible locations above the security area, some or all of which may be obscured enough by equipment on the condenser base to delay or prevent removal thereof by a thief. Alarm provisions are also made.